What this guide covers
Logan was incorporated by an act of the Territorial Legislature on January 7, 1866, and its early government met in private homes until 1876. A bathroom remodel raises the same questions in any era: what drives the price, who is allowed to do which part, and how to make the new room last. This guide doesn't quote dollar figures, because your room, your selections and the current market set those. It shows where the money goes and what every bid should spell out.
Choices that move the price
- Keeping the layout. Leaving the toilet, tub and drains where they are is the largest single saving. Moving a drain means opening the floor, and in a basement it can mean cutting the slab.
- Tub or shower. Swapping a tub for a walk-in shower calls for a new pan or sloped floor, new waterproofing and often a new drain location.
- How much tile. Tiling the shower and painting the rest costs less than tile to the ceiling everywhere. Small mosaics take more labor per square foot than large tiles.
- Glass. A framed door or a curtain costs less than a frameless enclosure.
- The vanity. Stock sizes cost less than custom cabinets; stone tops vary with the material and the edge.
- Electrical work. Heated floors, added outlets, new lighting and a dedicated fan circuit each add to the electrical scope.
- What's behind the walls. Rotted subfloor under an old toilet or a leaking tub is common. Ask how hidden damage will be priced if the crew finds it.
Utah's rule for small jobs
Utah law exempts alteration, repair and remodeling work with a contracted value under $7,000, labor and materials included, from contractor licensing; even on those jobs, work on a plumbing or electrical system must be done by an electrical or plumbing contractor holding a Utah license.
Even a small refresh can touch the pipes or the wiring. Painting, a new mirror or swapping a towel bar is one thing; a vanity with new drain connections, a moved shower valve or a new fan circuit is another. Ask each bidder which parts of your job count as plumbing or electrical work, who will do those parts, and look each company up on the Division of Professional Licensing's license lookup before you sign.
Planning for Logan's hard water
Logan City says its water hardness is 12 to 14 grains per gallon, or 255 ppm, and that it adds no fluoride; fluoride occurs naturally in the water at 140 to 200 ppb. The hardness is what shows up in a bathroom, as scale on glass, chrome, tile and shower heads. It's worth planning for in your selections:
- Valves and faucets with standard replaceable cartridges, so a scaled cartridge is a part swap rather than a new fixture.
- Shower heads with flexible nozzles that can be wiped clear.
- Shower glass with a spot-resistant coating, and a squeegee on a hook inside the shower.
- Grout that is epoxy or sealed, in a color that won't show white deposits.
- A softener loop. If you may add a softener later, ask the plumber whether a loop or connection can be roughed in while the walls are open.
Radon and basement bathrooms
Utah's Department of Environmental Quality says about 1 in 3 Utah homes tested, and 1 in 2 in some areas, have radon above 4 picocuries per liter, and that the average in tested Utah homes was 5.3; radon can only be detected by testing. If your project is a basement bathroom, test before construction. If the result calls for mitigation, the pipe route and fan location are easier to plan before drywall and tile go in. After the work, test again, since any new slab penetration changes the floor.
The job in order
1. Selections. Pick fixtures, tile, vanity, lighting and glass before demolition starts. Late choices are the most common cause of delay. 2. Permits. Ask whether your scope needs a permit and who will pull it. 3. Demolition. The old room comes out, and the crew records any damage it uncovers. 4. Rough-in. Plumbing and electrical are moved or updated by the right trades. Rough inspections, if required, happen here. 5. Waterproofing. The shower gets its membrane. Ask to see the flood test of the pan. 6. Tile and surfaces. Tile, backer, vanity, paint. 7. Fixtures and glass. Faucets, toilet, shower trim, glass and the exhaust fan go in, and the fan is tested. 8. Final walk-through. Finish any final inspection and make a punch list together.
Questions for every bidder
- What license does your company hold, and who does the plumbing and electrical?
- Which shower waterproofing system do you use, and do you flood-test?
- How will hidden damage be priced and approved?
- How long will the room be out of use?
- What is the payment schedule, and is each payment tied to finished work?
- What does your warranty cover, and for how long?
- Can you show proof of liability coverage and workers' compensation?
Keep the paperwork
Keep the contract, permit, inspection records, radon test results, product model numbers and warranties in one folder. They help with repairs, warranty claims and an eventual sale.